Method of producing quick-freezing and quick-cooking meat patties



Feb. 23, 1954 L. R. TANSLEY METHOD OF PRODUCING QUICK-FREEZING AND QUICK-COOKING MEAT PATTIES Filed April 9, 1951 Leslie 13. ansle y Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNI TED TS T OFF ICE METHOD OF PRODUCING QUICK-FREEZING 'AND QUICK- COOKING MEAT :PJATTIES Leslie R.- Tiansley, Worthington, Ohio, :assignor rto -White Castle System, .Inc., Columbus, Ohio, a .corporation of Delaware Am'ilication April 9, 1951',-Seria'.l No. 219;999

3 Claims. (01. 99-194) rapid and uniform heating while undergoing cooking. 'Thegpresentinvention:isaconcernedprimarily with the provisionzof'aniimproved method and means by which: suchirperforate lfOOd patties are produced. J

My invention is further. concernedwvith an simproved method of and-means iormreparingvg-round meat of vthekind used in hamburger -=sandwiches, whereby to effect its preservation and to facilitate cooking thereof.

In accordance with .the'present invent-ion,- following .primary grinding or reduction of the meat, the sameis compacted, extrudedandzrei-rigerated, preferably-to: sub-freezing temperatures, to form a relativelydense-solid, homogeneous body. This body isshaped or .cut ..toiorm flat-sided-l-strips or patties of uniform thickness .and weight. The meat .body, while firm-and solid mas .a-result :of extrusion and refrigeration, .is subjected to-agperiorating operation, which is. so conducted .as :to providespacedholes of..desired.diameter, arrangement .andnumberin each of the patties. whereafter, the patties .or cakes-are packed .in .containers in assembled side by side load-or blockforming order, and subjected to-low-temperature refrigeration. Such refrigerationrise-maintained until the individual patties oncakesare removed and separated .Qirom .their. respective. \blocks and placed in separate order .on .a heated platter .ior cooking purposes. The holes .or perforations .in the slices .or cakes serve efiectively during cooking to'secureaquick and uniform distribution .of the heat throughoutthe"bodies or Ithemeat cakes or patties, .and thereby effect rapid, -uniformand complete cooking thereof.

"Among the objectsof "the invention are: .to provide a method forformin'g a perforated meat cake or patty inwhichrone or xmore perforations are produced in Ta Jmanner tofiprovide for rapid and uniform distribution of the appliedcooking heatthroughout allportions :of :lthe gp'a'tty 'or..cake body, whereby .to shorten. the time period .necessary for complete cooking; to provide animproved method for preparing such meat 'pattiesor cakes in'arapidly. periormedmanner and :without adding to the cost of the product; to providea. method of extruding-a comestible in the form of a molded and relatively compacted load-like body composedi'of ground meat, and wherein .said body is ior-medwith aplurality of relativelyspaced parallelopenings which extend from onesend of the loaf :body to its other and to provide apparatus foriorminga ground meat :body of this character having perforate central regions which, when subjected to :a cooking operation, shortens the normal-cooking time :by providing for improved heat distribution throughout the body.

-For amore detailedunderstandingof .my-invention; including additional objects and-advantages thereof, retercnce is to the had to the following description and the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view disclosing a preferred form of .my improvedperforated meat patty;

Fig. 2 is .a vertical sectional view taken transversely through the patty on the plane indicated by the-line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is-a vertical sectional view taken through amachine for extruding ground meats in blocks .or loaf-forming order, and wherein the machine is equipped with means for producing spaced parallel and longitudinally extending openings in the extruded loaf;

Fig. A isa perspective view of a refrigerated meat loaf from which the sliced and perforated meat patties-of the present invention are formed;

.Eig. 5.is ,a.similar view of the sliced andperiorated loaf with the individual slices or patties arranged forpacking in a container;

Fig. 6.is a verticalsectional view taken through punchetypepatty-perforating mechanism utilized by the present invention;

w.lifig. .7. isa vertical sectional view takenlongitudinallyv through .anextruding mechanism employedfby theipresent invention in producing flat meat cakes .or ipattiesirom extruded meat strips;

.Fig. '8 is a detail perspective view disclosing a meat patty formed with. a modified typeo'f perforation, involving centrally disposedintersecting slots.

The present invention provides a meat patty such 'as"that"shown"at I in .the accompanying drawingpthesame being adapted'for use as the meat constituent inhamburger sandwiches. "The pattywcomprises a compacted ground ,meat"body in dtheiiiorm of a cake, slice or wafer, .having dimensions appropriate for reception between the top .and'bottom'lhalves of a bread .roll .or1buh'.

In accordance with the present invention, the patty is provided with one or more transverse openings or perforations 4 which extend completely through the patty. These openings or perforations may be of suitable diameter and arrangement, and are disposed in such manner within the patty as to expedite the cooking of the central regions of the patty, especially when the latter is placed on a heated platter, whereby the central regions will be cooked simultaneously and uniformly with the outer marginal portions.

In producing the patty, selected meats at refrigerated temperatures of the order of 34 and 40 degrees Fahr. are ground to a desired degree and, immediately thereafter, are compacted to form a loaf or block 6 which possesses a stable homogeneous form. To preserve the natural taste characteristics of the meat, this block is subjected to low-temperature refrigeration, in which the temperature of the block is reduced rapidly to temperatures, for example, from 10 to degrees below zero, Fahr.

After being so frozen and during maintenance of such low temperatures, the block is subjected to the action of an automatic slicing machine, or the like, not shown, to divide the same into a multiplicity of flat-sided patty-forming slices of appropriate thickness, the slices being indicated by the numeral 7. Temperatures of the order last specified are desirable in the slicing operation, in order that the meat loaf or block will be sufficiently solid to facilitate rapid and accurate cutting. Also, at these temperatures, the natural juices present in the meat are retained therein and exudation thereof prevented, since at these temperatures of slicing the juices are frozen and held within the loaf body.

While still in such solidly frozen form, the individual slices are placed on a perforating base, indicated at 3 in Fig. 6 of the drawings. This base coacts with a movable head 9, the latter being formed with perforating cutters it, which, when moved with the head toward the base, pass through the slices l, producing therein the openings or perforations 4. During the perforating operation, the slices are held against movement by being marginally confined, whereby to prevent cracking or shattering of the slices while at such low temperatures. However, I do not limit myself to any particular mechanism, as it will be understood that any suitable means may be used in effecting this perforating operation.

Following perforation, the slices are again placed in side by side block or loaf -forming order, and subjected to pressure to effect a degree of compaction on the part of the loaf or block so that the same may be wrapped or placed in a thin walled container, not shown, for handling and shipment. Immediately following such wrapping or packing, the product is restored to 10W temperature, which usually is not in excess of 20 degrees Fahr. Such low temperatures are employed to prevent thawing of the slices and thereafter insure the preservation of the product and cause the same to retain its freshness, natural juices and desired taste when cooked and served.

At the time of cooking, the block or loaf is removed from refrigeration, and as soon as possible thereafter, the individual slices or patties are removed and applied to a heated platter. At the time of such platter application, the meat cake or patty possesses a temperature usually below freezing, the same being characteristically hard, dense, solid and cold to the touch. When placed on the platter, due to the provision of the 4 openings or perforations 4 therein, the meat slices or patties absorb heat quickly and uniformly over all body portions thereof, so that the frying or cooking operation may proceed with marked acceleration. It is unnecessary to turn the meat cakes over from one side to the other during the cooking operation, particularly when the openings or perforations 4 are provided therein, which is a further factor in hastening or reducing the cooking time normally allotted to such an operation.

In the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 3, a grinding and extruding mechanism is represented at M. The mechanism provides a casing l5, and a power driven auger l6 by which the ground meat is advanced through an extruding duct H, the orifice at the outer-end of this duct possessing the desired cross-sectional configuration which is to be imparted to the meat loaf or column extruded through said orifice. Arranged in the entrance portion of the duct l! is a fixed spider l8 carrying, in this instance, a plurality of spaced parallel rods or mandrels l9. By the action of the auger Hi, the ground meats are compacted around the rods or mandrels after passing through the openings formed in the spider l8, thereby producing in the extruded meat loaf the longitudinal openings indicated at 4. The meat loaf while undergoing compaction and shape formation in the duct i'i may be subjected to refrigeration by providing chambers 20 in the walls of said duct for the circulation of a fluid refrigerant. Adjacent to the outlet orifice of the duct, a cutter ii is provided which upon being suitably operated severs the extruded materials into formed blocks or loaves of desired length. These blocks or loaves are then refrigerated to low temperatures and thereafter sliced in the customary manner. With the use of the apparatus shown in Fig 3, the cost of producing the improved meat patties of the present invention is maintained at a low figure.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Fig. '7, ground meat is introduced into a casing shown at 21 through an inlet 28. The casing 21 defines a chamber 29 in which is slidably positioned a ram or piston 30, the latter serving to advance ground meat forwardly of the chamber 29, causing its issuance in the form of a thin fiat column, strip or ribbon, as indicated at 3!, through an extruding orifice 31a provided in the member 25. Following discharge of the strip from the orifice am, the same is deposited on a traveling conveyor belt 32, and brought into engagement with radial punches 33, which project from the periphery of a revolving roll 34, the punches 33 serving to perforate the meat strip at regular intervals. Following the perforation, the strip may be severed to form the individual patties by the cutting mechanism, the cutting or severing mechanism being indicated by the numeral 35, the same being preferably of the rotary type, and times with the linear advance of the meat strip 3| to form patties of desired size.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, a modified type of perforation has been disclosed at 40 which, instead of providing a plurality of spaced perforations, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises intersecting X-shaped slots which perform the same function. Obviously other opening or slot formations and arrangements may be resorted to within the scope of the present invention.

In view of the foregoing, it will be evident that the present invention provides improved methods and apparatus for producing frozen ground meat patties which are capable of being cooked with greater rapidity than the imperforate patties of the prior art. Also, by avoiding prolonged cooking, a patty is formed by the method and means herein defined characterized by its tenderness and improved taste over patties of customary formation and cooked in the usual manner. The apparatus lends itself readily to the production of such perforate patties, enabling the same to be produced at a cost approximating closely that of producing the ordinary frozen or refrigerated imperforate patty.

While I have particularly defined the present invention as being applicable to ground meat patties, it will be understood that the same may, also, be employed in the formation and cooking of other food products, such as soya bean patties, fish cakes, pork sausage or the like.

Since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method and in producing my improved product without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted where the context admits as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The method of producing quick-freezing and quick-cooking meat patties which comprises extruding ground meat under pressure to form a substantially homogeneous, compact column of meat; forming in the intermediate region of said column at least one opening which extends completely therethrough; and severing said column transversely to form a plurality of relatively thin fiat-sided meat patties, each having an opening extending completely therethrough from side to side thereof.

2. The method of producing quick-freezing and quick-cooking meat patties which comprises extruding ground meat under pressure to form a substantially homogeneous, compact, cubical column of meat; simultaneously forming in said column of meat at least one opening extending longitudinally through said column; subjecting said meat to sub-freezing temperatures to quickly freeze the same; and severing said column transversely to form a plurality of relatively thin, fiat-sided, frozen meat patties, each having an opening extending completely therethrough.

3. The method of producing quick-freezing and quick-cooking meat patties which comprises extruding ground meat under pressure to form a substantially homogeneous, compact, and relatively flat column of meat; freezing said column of meat; forming in said column of meat a plurality of openings extending completely therethrough; and severing said column transversely at longitudinal intervals to form a plurality of separate fiat-sided meat patties, each having at least one opening extending completely therethrough from side to side thereof.

LESLIE R. TANSLEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,943,019 Henney et al Jan. 9, 1934 2,397,446 Tansley Mar. 26, 1946 2,521,349 Hopkins et al. Sept. 12, 1950 

1. THE METHOD OF PRODUCING QUICK-FREEZING END QUICK-COOKING MEAT PATTIES WHICH COMPRISES EXTRUDING GROUND MEAT UNDER PRESSURE TO FORM A SUBSTANTIALLY HOMOGENEOUS, COMPACT COLUMN OF MEAT; FORMING IN THE INTERMEDIATE REGION OF SAID COLUMN AT LEAST ONE OPENING WHICH EXTENDS COMPLETELY THERETHROUGH; AND SEVERING SAID COLUMN TRANSVERSELY TO FORM A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY THIN FLAT-SIDED MEAT PATTIES, EACH HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING COMPLETELY THERETHROUGH FROM SIDE TO SIDE THEREOF. 